Relay pneumatic pump



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Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

UNTD STATES PATENT Lf* HOHER S. ROGERS, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNR TO JOHN R. BALL, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

RELAY PNEUIKATIC PUMP.

Application filed February 11, 1920. Serial No. 357,771.

T 0 all 'Lo/1,0m may concern.'

Be it known that I, Hoeren S. Roenes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaulree, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relay Pneumatic Pumps, of which the following 'is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to pneumatic pumps and the object of the invention is to improve the construction of pneumatic pumps in the manner to be hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

Referring to the drawing which accompanies this specification and forms a part hereof, which drawing illustrates an embodiment of this invention, the figure of the drawing is a vertical sect-ion of a pump and Well.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates a well into which an air pipe 2 and a water discharge pipe 3 extend. Provision is made for permitting water to enter the air space and trapping it so that it can be elevated through the water discharge pipe 3. The drawing illustrates a simple but effective construction for accomplishing this result. The air pipe 2 is enlarged by a chamber 4 provided with the water inlet valve 5 and the water discharge pipe 3, which is provided with a check valve 6, extends to near the bottom of the chamber 4. It is evident that water will open the water inlet valve 5 and fill the chamber l 4 and the air pipe 2 to substantially the level of the water in the well and that the water inlet valve 5 will then close. It is also evident that if compressed air then be admitted to the pipe 2 the water will be forced out or discharged through the water discharge pipe 3.

The reference numeral 7 designates a pump chamber which may be placed in any suitable location as for example, as shown by the drawing, above the well. The water discharge pipe 3 communicates with the pump chamber 7 to supply water theretoand the water supplied thereto can be discharged through a water discharge pipe 8 which is provided with a check valve 9. Compressed air is supplied to the pump chamber 7 from a pipe 10, the compressed air being controlled by a compressed air valve 11 illustrated as being connected with a lever 12, to which the air exhaust valve 13 is connected on the opposite side of the fulcrum 14, so that when the compressed air valve is open the air exhaust valve will be G0 closed and vice versa. A float 15 rocks the lever 12, when water ills the pump chamber 7, to close the air exhaust valve 13 and open the compressed air valve 11 and the area of the air exhaust port 16 is made large enough 65 pump chamber 7 by a valve 19 the position 75 0f which is controlled by a float 20. A spring 21 keeps a plunger 22 in contact with the fluid actuated member 18 and the plunger actuates a bell-crank lever 23 which can press upon the stem 24 secured to the air S0 exhaust valve 13 and so force the air exhaust valve 13 from its seat. The leverage of the lever 12 is such that the weight of its longer arm, oat 15 and air exhaust valve 13 will keep the compressed air valve 11 closed 85 against the pressure of the air until the water level in the pump chamber 7 rises suficiently high to lift the float 15 and tilt the lever 12.

A branch 25 from the compressed air pipe 90 10 conducts compressed air to the air pipe 2 and the passage of the compressed air is controlled by the compressed air valve 26 carried by the lever 27 which can rock on its fulcrum 28. An air exhaust valve 29 is 95 connected with the lever 27 on the opposite side of its fulcrum from the compressed air valve 26 so that when one valve is closed the other valve is open. A fluid-pressure motor 30 is provided with a fiuid actuated 100 member 31 of less area than the iiuid actuated member 18 and the Huid actuated member 31 is exposed to the pressures as they exist in the pump chamber 7 through the medium of the pipe 32. The air exhaust 105 port 33 is made large enough so that the air exhaust valve 29 will be held to its seat by the difference between the pressure in the pipe 2 and outside thereof, except when forced from its seat by the fluid actuated 11o A fluidpressure motor member 31. A plunger 34 is connected with the air exhaust valve .29 and with a lever' so that the lever 27 can be rocked in one direction by a movement of the fluid act-iu ated member 31 and in the opposite direction by ay movement of the fluid actuated member 18, a rod 36 being` supported in line with the plunger 22 so as to be contacted by and moved by the plunger 22 in a manner which will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawing.

The fluid-pressure motor 1T is provided with a bleed hole 37 at its top to permit air to escape and prevent the motor from becomingl air bound as some air will separate from the water. The fluid-pressure motor 30 does not require any such bleed hole on account of the location of the pipe 32 at its top.

A pipe 38 may be used to lead the exhaust air outside a building, if desired, in which the upper part of the pump may be located.

rlhe operation of the pump is as follows: The drawing shows the parts in the posi` tions which they occupy when thc water in the pump chamber 7 is being` discharged by the pressure of compressed air and the chamber t and pipe 2 are filling ith water. As the water level in the pump chamber 7 is lowered, the air exhaust valve 13 will be kept seated, with the compressed air valve l1 open, by the difference between the pressure in the pump chamber 7 and thc pressure outside thereof. The water level will eventually lower to the normal line of flotation of the float 2O but the pressure will keep the valve 19 closed until enough of the float 20 is out of water so that the weight of the float will unseat valve 19. As soon as the valve 19 starts to open7 the pressures on opposite sides thereof will be equaL ized and the float 20 will suddenly drop to its line of flotation thus popping' lvalve 19 wide open. Tater will be forced into the fluid-pressure motor 17 and will force the fluid actuated member 18 to the left, moving plunger 22 and rod 36 to the left, compress-A ing; spring- 21 and rocking bell-crank lever the water level rises in pump chamber 7, the floats 20 and 15 are raised and the air 23. The movement of the bell-crank lever 23 forces the air exhaust valve 13 from its seat, rocking; lever 12 and closing the coinpressed air valve 11 so that the pump chamber 7 is cut ofi" from the compressed air and is open to the atmosphere or exhaust. rlhe movement of the rod 36 to the left forced water out of the fluid-pressure motor 30 and closed the air exhaust valve 29- and opened the compressed air valve 26 so that the water in pipe 2 and chamber 4 is now discharged into the pump chamber i and as exhaust valve 13 is closed and the compressed air valve 11 is` opened. At the same time the pressure in the pump chamber 7 is transmitted to the fluid-pressure motor 3") and moves the fluid actuated member 31 to the right, opening` the air exhaust valve 29 and closing the compressed air valve 26. The cycle then repeats in the manner hereinbefore described.

The function of the spring 21 is to restore the plunger 22 and the bellcranl lever to the positions shown by the drawing,` while the pump chamber T is open to exhaust.

There is a point which should be carefully observed, the air space in the well to be filled with water should be of great enough volume to cause the water relayed into the pump chamber '7 to close the air exhaust valve 13 as, otherwise, compressed air could blow frompipe 2 right through the pump and out the exhaust port 16.

lThe details of construction can be varied from the specific details of construction shown by the drawing without depart-ing from the principles of the invention and l do not mean to limit my invention to the details ol construction illustrated by the drawingl The advantages of the invention are obvious. The pump chamber Y can be made of any size or shape desirable. The worlriiu;` parts of the pump, those shown by the draw ing` above the well, can be placed in any suitable or desired location without regard to the location `of the wateisupply of a nat ural source of water supply. @ne of the most important uses ofthe invention will be found in connection with narrow bore wells as the air pipe 2 and water discharge pipe 3 can be arranged in exceedingly compact relation, if desired, by running one pipe through the other, for example.

What is claimed is:

1. A relay pneumatic pump comprising iu combination a pump chamber, a water pipe leading from a source of water supply to the pump chamber, an air pipe leading to the source of water supply and in fluid communication with the pump chamber through the water pipe, a water inlet valve, a check valve to retain water in the pump chamber, a water discharge pipe leading from the pump chamber, an air exhaust valve and a com-pressedl air valve for the pump chamber, the pump chamber being provided with an air exhaust port of suilicient area so that the air exhaust valve will be retained closed by the; difference between the pressures in the pump chamber and outside thereof, means for closing the air exhaust valve and opening the compressed air valve for the pump chamber when the water in the pump chamber has reached a predetermined level, a fluid pressure motor for forcing the air exhaust valve open, means controlled by a predetermined low Water level in the pump chamber for admitting fluid under pressure to said motor to force said air exhaust valve open, an air exhaust valve and a compressed air valve for said air pipe, a second fluid pressure motor in communication with the pump chamber for actuating the air exhaust valve and the compressed air valve for said air pipe, and mechanical means for the actuation of said valves directly by the first mentioned fluid pressure motor.

2. A relay pneumatic pump comprising in combination a pump chamber, a Water pipe leading from a source of water supply to the pump chamber, an air pipe leading to the source of water supply and in fluid communication with the pump chamber through the water pipe, a water inlet valve, a checlr valve to retain water in the pump chamber, a water discharge pipe leading from the pump chamber, a compressed air valve and an air exhaust valve for the pump chamber, means for closing the air exhaust valve and opening the compressed air valve when water has risen to a predetermined level in the pump chamber, an air exhaust port controlled by the air exhaust valve and of sufficient area so that the air exhaust valve will be retained closed by the difference between the pressures in the pump chamber and outside thereof, a compressed air valve and an air exhaust valve for the air pipe, means controlled by a predetermined low Water level in the pump chamber for forcing the air exhaust valve for the pump chamber from its seat and closing the compressed air valve, and simultaneously actuated mechanical means for closing the air exhaust valve and opening the compressed air valve for the air pipe, said mechanical means being disconnected to prevent mechanically actuated movement in the reverse or opposite direction.

3. A relay pneumatic pump comprising in combination a pump chamber, a water pipe leading from a source of water supply to the pump chamber, an air pipe leading to the source of water supply and in fluid communication with the pump chamber through the water pipe, a water inlet valve, a check valve to retain water in the pump chamber, a water discharge pipe leading from the pump chamber, an air exhaust valve and a compressed air valve for the pump chamber, the pump chamber being provided with an air exhaust port of sufficient area so that the air exhaust valve will be retained closed by the difference between the pressure in the pump chamber and the premure outside thereof, means for closing the air exhaust valve and opening the compres-sed air valve when the water in the pump chamber has reached a predetermined level, a fluid pressure motor for forcing the air exhaust valve open, means controlled by a predetermined lonT water level in the pump chamber for admitting fluid under pressure to said motor to force the air exhaust valve open, an air exhaust valve and a compressed air valve for said air pipe, a second fluid pressure motor, of less power than the first mentioned fluid pressure motor, in open communication with the pump chamber, and means for imparting a movement of the first mentioned Huid pressure motor to the second fluid, pressure motor to close the air exhaust valve and open the compressed air valve for said air pipe.

Il. A relay pneumatic pump comprising in combination a pump chamber, an air pipe in fluid communication therewith and provided with a water inlet valve, a check valve to permit water to pass from the air pipe into the pump chamber, air exhaust valves and compressed air valves for the pump chamber and for the air pipe, the pump chamber and the air pipe being provided with air exhaust ports of suliicient size so that the air exhaust valves will be retained closed by the differences between the pressures in the pump chamber and air pipe and outside thereof, a fluid pressure motor for each of said air exhaust valves operable by the pressure in the pump chamber, one of said motors being of less power than the other, and means to actuate the motor of less power by the other motor.

ln witness whereof l hereto aiiix my signature.

HOMER S. ROGERS, 

